Shanghai Jiao Tong University to Host the Conference Commemorating the 60 Years’ Anniversary of Dr. Qian Xuesen’s Return to China
10/26/2015
On October 15th, Shanghai Jiao TongUniversity (SJTU) held a grand meeting to mark the 60 years’anniversary of Dr. Qian Xuesen’s return to his homeland. The meeting was a joint event by ShanghaiJiao Tong University and Guangming Daily and was organized by Qian Xuesen Library & Museum (QLM).
The invited speakers shared their knowledge and experience with Dr. Qian from their respective perspectives. As the founder of China’s aerospace industry, Dr.Qian was intricately related to the nation’s aeronautics and astronautics development especially since his return to China. President of Aviation Industry Corporation of China Mr. Lin Zuoming and the precedent Vice Minister of Department of Astronautics Industry Mr. Sun Jiadong both shared their story of how Dr.Qian led the nation’s air and space programs and how they have benefited directly from his wisdom and charisma. The former Vice President of China Association for Science and Technology Ms. Liu Shu and the former Vice President of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Political Consultative Conference Mr. Xia Ri both talked about Dr. Qian’s significant contributions in making the best use of desert and sand industry and in “foreseeing the future with truescience” for the 21 century. Another subject Dr. Qian tackled in his lateryears was the study of cities. Dr. Qian initiated urbanology or urban studiesin the 1980s, the former party official of Hangzhou municipal government Mr. Wang Guoping therefore reported in the conference the progress China’s urbanstudies has evolved in the past three decades.
As one of the most distinguished alumni of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, this event attracted a list of SJTU’s precedent presidents and University Council chairpersons present that day. The old generation leaders fondly recalled the experience of how Qian Xuesen strived toreturn to the country in the 1950s and how they correlated Dr. Qian’seducational philosophy to their work and commitment in governing the university.The incumbent SJTU President Zhang Jie expressed in his remarks that Dr. Qian’slegacy should have their modern echoes, especially in the current times of economic transformation and technological innovation. He remarked that for the 120 yearsof university history, SJTU has always been open-minded on one hand to traintop-notch students with international outlook and social responsibility; and onthe other hand to welcome and support talents with oversees backgrounds to SJTU to conduct teaching and research.
Mr. Qian Yonggang, son of the late Dr. QianXuesen, as well as the director of QLM, shared in the end memorable stories ofthe family’s first few days when they returned to China. The personal perspective reinforced Dr. Qian’s life and legacy as a true scientist with strong social responsibilities and life wisdom.